Dover covert

The Dover covert was the largest covert in Britain, covering approximately one hundred acres, and perhaps the most critically located. It was the second of the Aerial Corps coverts where Temeraire was stationed, when Lily's formation was sent here after Mortiferus left for Cadiz in July 1805.

At that time, Admiral Lenton was the commander-in-chief of the Channel Division, which put him in charge of the Dover covert. However, after Lenton's dragon Observaria died in the Dragon Plague in 1806, Lenton himself suffered a stroke. He was retired to less demanding duties at the Edinburgh covert.

Jane Roland was then given the rank of admiral and command of the Dover covert. The Admiralty would have preferred not to give this post to a woman. However, Captain Portland would not leave his post at Gibraltar, as his dragon Laetificat was also ill and could no longer make the sea voyage back to Britain. This left the Admiralty with a choice between Roland and Sanderson, and Sanderson was handling the illness of his Animosia quite badly.

Quite aside from its strategic importance, the Dover covert was attractive to the aviators stationed there because its proximity to the city of Dover allowed them access to various sorts of entertainment, ranging from theatres and concerts to prostitutes and cheap liquor.